Stabilizer for automobiles



BEST AVAILABLE COP.

I 1,618,551 1927' B. D. GIBBS STABILIZER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. 6; l926 /J /6 FIE Z 1 INVENTOR.

M' a W A TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES BEST AVAILABLE COPY PATENT OFFECE.

BURTON I). GIBBS, OF WEST'FIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

STABILIZER FOR AUTOLIOBILES.

Application filed February each end of each spring, or to the end of each'springthat'has a shackle connection, and said stabilizers are also generally made in rights and lefts. In some cases, however, two of the stabilizers might be provided at one'endonly o'f'theautomobile, and, again in some cases, it would not be necessary to make a difference"iii their" construction or shape, so tar as the application of the same to both sides of the automobile is concerned.

The 'priinary'object of my invention is to produce comparatively simple and'inexpensive means, readily applicable to automobiles, for counteracting, counter-balancing, or absorbing, as it were, the jolts, jars, and shocks due to pronounced unevenness of the roadway over which a vehicle equipped therewith is passing, without preventing the effective absorption of the small or ininor jars and. shocks which are due tothe lesser variations'in the surface of the roadway. These stabilizers in great measure prevent 'the' road shocks from being transmitted to the frame and body of the ve hicle; instead such shocks are transmitted to the stabilizer weights which are peculiarly and especially adapted to receive them. The cumulative vibrations of the frame and body of the vehicle are broken up and neutralized. This is apparently due to the fact that the stabilizer weights act or serve. as independent loads having a greater tendency to vibratethan has the body of the vehicle, since the pressure'exerted by the springs more readily overcomes the inertiaoit' the weights than the inertia of the body.

Another object is to provide stabilizers which can be readily attached to the vehicle without materially changing any part of the construction thereof, and in places ample for their vibration or oscillation.

My stabilizersdispense with the need for e, 1926. Serial No. 86,435.

shock-absorbers, snubbers, and the like, and serve equally well and even better and more efficiently thansuch devices.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description;

I attain the objects and secure the advan tages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stabilizer which embodies a practical form of my in- 'vention,"showing the same applied to a 'sliackle at the rear end of a side spring of 'an auto mobile; Fig. 2, an enlarged, rearend elevation "of the weight and lug Ofsaidstabiliz'er; F 1g. 3, airenlarged, front end elevation of the clamping bloc-k'ot said'sta- 'bi'lize r; Figfh'an enlarged, top plan of the stabilizer, the' shackle plate to which the same is secured being shown in section; Fi 5, a side elevation ofa modified form of the stabilizer, showing the same applied to a shackle for one 'endof a transversespring of an automobile; Fig. 6, an enlarged, top plan in partial section of said last-named stabilizer, and, Fig. 7', an enlargeddetail of the stabilizer lug shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Similar retereiicefcharacters designate similar parts throughout the several views.

The parts'o'f springsand their c'onnec-' ticns, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5,,are to be considered merely as examples, because it is to be understood that there are many kinds of "springs, and spring=supporting means which include' shackleg in use in the auto- "inobileart, and it is'the shackles and their plates, ratherthzui tliesprings themselves, with which my invention is'more intimately associated from a material or mechanical standpoint, since it is to these that the sta-' bilizei's are directly attached. The stabili' which the same can be attached, andthere is sutlicieiit space adjacent to said shackles and their plates to accommodate the stabiliz'er .weightsand permit them to oscillate.

In Fig.1 are shown portions of an automobile frame horn 1 and a side orlongitndinallvextending spring 2 which are pi otally connected by a pair of shackle plates 3 and a pair of shackle bolts 4. To the outv side plate 3' one of my stabilizers is secured. The intermediate portion of the inside plate 8 is broken away to show parts of the stabilizer which otherwise would be hidden by said plate. The parts and members of the automobile just referred to areylocated at. the rear end and on the right-hand side of the machine.

In Fig. are represented portions ofthe front axle 5 and front spring 6, and one of the front shackle plates 7, by means of which and a yoke and nuts (not shown), said spring at one terminal is piv'otally connected with 3. lug 8 rising from, said axle. A stabilizer especially adapted to. this type of spring connection. also shown. secured to the plate 7 and the axial members oi the shackle.

In each case the stabilizer-consists, in.- art' of a weight. 9, which I have iound should tip thescales to about ten pounds. Usually. the weight 9 is cylindrical in shape. The.

, weight of each stabilizer mustbe provided with means for securely attaching the. same to, one or" the shackle, plates 3. 0117, with said weight as. near the plate as. it is practical to have it. i

In the first construction illustrated inconnection. here\.\tit.h, t he weight 9 has: an integral, comparatively short lug 10. which. ex? nds beyond the periphery of said'Weightand is ofi'set from one sidefihereof 'andlthflrfi is associatedwlth said lug aclamping block 11. There is a passage" 12 whichextends tlu'ougl the lug 10. from end to. end to receive. a bolt 13, and there also. in the: endof said lug which is most remote from the weight 9 an approxiinitely vertical, slot 14.-

Tlie'block Lilies. an ope ing-15 therethroug also tozreceiv'e theboltlii The. block. 11,.

which is adapted tobe arrangedon the bolt 13 in cooperative position relative to the end of the lug -that is most. remote from the weight 9 has in the face thereof that, is adjacent to the'face of said lug, in, which; is l c ted the. sl t. 1.4, a. complementary slot 16-. 'iheslots 1. and 1 6.a.re of a suitable size to receive therein opposite, longitudinal; edge portions of either shackle plate 3, 311( in order to enable said plate to. be. tightlygrasped by and between. the lug 10 and the block ll,,th e outer sides. of the slots; 14; and 16 are inclined outwardly or made. flaring, These slotsare not; deep enough to, receive the entire width oft-he shackle plate. A nut 17, is provided for the, boltlB. outside of the. block 11.

To-nttach the stabilizeutothe outer plate the lug 10 is first placed inpo'si'tion r ainst s d. plate, with the front. edge portion of the latter in the slot 14, the block 11 is-then placed on the bolt 13, and moved rearwardl thereon until the rear edge portion of sai plate is received in, the Slot 1-6, and finally the nut 17 is screwed .on to the rear end of said bolt and tightened'against thecontiguous cud of said block, whereby the latter is caused torcihlyto engage the plate and the 1,618,651 BEST AVAILABLE COP outer edge of the block to bear on the outer edge of the adjacent endof, the lug l0. Thus it is seen that there is a ilsl japedfl space or opening left between the adjacent faces of the lug 10 and the block 11, and that said block f'ulcrunis on said lug', and that in this way provision is made to enable said block tobe forcedby-the nut 17 into such tight contact with the plate 3, which is grasped between the lug 10 and the block, that the e ght 9 issecurely and rigidly attached to and. supported from said plate. The opening 15 in the block 11 must be sufiiciently large to, enable saidhl'ocl'; to he tilted on the bolt; 13', when, forced intotilting relation.-

with, the lug 10 the inteitivteniilg plate 3,

the width-ofiwhich iis greater thanthe comned. depths of the slots. Mend l6.

The, Weight. 9 is. supported, by. th8,m8311S.

and in the manner above described; from the outer plate, 3. outside, of the yerticalj plane of said plate; Iffound expedient or necessary, the weight 9 may. be supported, from the in.- ner plate 3, in whijclijeiientlsaid weight is positioned inside of the vertical plane of said plate; and rejects, downwardly instead of u wardly'; ftl'iere'were suilicie'nt space for t. 'e weightltofoscillate in, thestabilizer mighthe attached; to the. outer plate in nvrted' p.ositi'on, and to the. inside-plate. in.

erect positioi 'or with Weight lug" below; I

It is merely necessary, f ourse, in. orde to remove thest a, l')il1izei-v from. the/supporting shackle plate, to. unscrew thenut 17, and remove it and the block llirointhe bolt. 13,.

Portions of the lug 10, and the bloc-1511,

which; are inside, of the plate? to which they are attached, aLenecessai-ilybetween the two plates. in. the plur. ,but. ,tl'ie're is; sulfilcientspace between seid plat'es', to receive such portions. 7 p

In practice, one of the stabilizers is, so,-

cured to, each of the outcr shackle l'ates in each of, thefour Dairswi'tli whic tie aut mohlle 1s eqpipped, or else. two each ofthe inner of su 9 ates, 01s, in some cases, thet stabiliz rs. m git be attached to the outer shackle plates the front end and. to the inner shackle plates at the rear end of the. machine, or \'ice \tci'.sa..

The, weigl'it 9 oscillates with, the sl'u cl'cle plgrte upon which it is nounted as said plate rocks or vibrates under the iinpi l'sion or the influence of the spring and load piv uuly connectedjin' part by said, plat with the result that the more severe shocks. aud'jars are absorbed, by said weight, as-her'einbefore point/ed out. This is d ue o ff course, to the fact that the weight, as gin-independent load, is supported from and v ry close to t shackle plate. It the weight were supported by the plate but at some distance therefrom, the desired Qil'ect would be uiat tainahle, and not only that but the load would be more unf stable than ever, or would ride with more instead of less shck,-jar, and excessive v ibration. v

The weight 9, in the Fig. construction, has a short integral lug 18, the outer face adjacent to the outer end of which is an approximately vertical groove or channel 19, and through which extend openings -20, said openings at their inner ends communicating with said slot. The lug 18 not only extends beyond the periphery of its weight 9, but is offset from one side of said weight. In automobiles having transverse springs, and in the Ford car especially, each shackle is made up of a yoke and a plate, such as the plate 7, which plate is held in place-on the bolt arms of the yoke by means of two nuts, and the cross piece or head of the yoke and said plate constitute the opposite sides of the shackle. In Fig. (3 the free end'portion of one of the bolt arms of a yoke, such as that just mentioned, is represented at 21, and, in place of the nut ordinarily used on such arm, I providea special nut'22. -The nut 22 is intcriorly screw-threaded to receive the arm 21. The groove 19 is of a size to receive the plate 7, and each opening 20- is of a size to receive one of the niitsz22, of which there are two, one for eaclr yoke bolt arm. The openings 20. are spaced apart a distance equal to the spaces between the aforesaid voke arms. i

To secure the lug 18 to the shackle plate 7,

said lug is placed against said plate .witlr the latter in the groove 19, and the nut-s22 are inserted in the openings .20 and screwed onto the yoke arms which extend through and protrude from sa1d'plate.- Thus the lug l8 is supported by the plate -'i' wliich=is in.

the slot or groove lt), and by the nuts 22 which are on the yoke arms (21), and said lug is securely held against lateral displacement between said plate and the heads of said nuts.

The stabilizer shown in Fig. 5 is mounted on the yoke arms (21) and plate '1 of the right-hand, forward shackle, and the weight 9 of said stabilizer is behind the vertical piano of the back side of the spring 6. The left-hand, forward shackle is, in practice, equipped with a similar stabilizer to that which appears in Fig. 5, except that the stabilizer on the left extends to the right from its supporting plate, instead of to the left. Similar or corresponding stabilizers are also mounted on the yoke arms and plates of the shackles at the rear end of the machine. The operation and effect of the second stabilizcr are similar in all respects to those of the first stabilizer.

in some cases it may be advisable or necessary to arrange the stabilizers, on the shackles of automobiles having transverse springs, in such a manner that the weights are located between the shackles and wheels,

BEST AVAILABLE cop.

instead of between the shackles and the longitudinal, vertical,central plane of the machine, as in the example. More or less change in the shape, size, construction, and arrangement of some or all of the parts of the stabilizer, in addition to those hereinbefore specifically pointed out, may be made, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or exceeding the scope of what is claimed.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a stabilizer of the class described, with a spring and a shackle plate therefor, of a weight provided with means to attach the same to said plate and permit it to swingfreely without contacting with said spring.

2. The combination in a stabilizer of the class described, with a spring and a shackle plate therefor, of a weight provided with means to attach the same directly to said plate and permit-it to swing freely without v contacting with said spriiw.

' 3- Thecombination in a stabilizer of the class described, with a spring and a shackle plate therefor, of a weight provided with means to secure the same to said plate in close proximity thereto, and permit it to swing freelywithout contacting with said spring.

4. The combination in a stabilizer of 'the class described, with a spring and a shackle plate therefor,.of'a weight provided with means to secure the same directly to said plate in close proximity thereto, and permit it to swing freely without contacting with said spring.

5. The 'combinationin a stabilizer of the class described, with a spring and a shackle plate therefor, of a weightproviiiled with laterally otl'set means to attach the same to said plate and permit it to swing freely without contacting with said spring.

6. The combination in a stabilizer of the class described, with a spring and a shackle plate therefor, of a weight provided with laterally oti'set means to attach the same directly to said plate and permit it to swing freely without contacting with said spring.

7. The combination in a stabilizer of the class described, with a spring and a shackle plate therefor, of a weight provided with laterally offset means to secure the same to said plate in close proximity thereto, and permit it to swing freely without contacting with said spring.

8. The combination in a stabilizer of the class described, with a spring and a shackle plate therefor, of a weight provided with laterally offset means to secure the same di rectly to said plate in close proximity thereto, and permit it to swing freely without contacting with said spring.

9. In a stabilizer, of the class described, a

weight having fixed,-

movable clamping means to receiue; edge portions. oii-a shackle plate, and means to fonce said movablemeans intoclose contactwiitl said plate,

10. In a stabilizer, ot the; class described, a weight having laterally ofiset fixed and movable clampingmeans to receive edge portions of a shackle plate, and means to force said movable means.- into; close contact with said plate.

11'. The combination, in a, stabilizer of the class described, with. a weight provided. with a perforated lug, ofa bolt passingthrough said lug, aperfo-r'ated clamping block adaptedl to be mounted on said bolt, said lug and block being adapted to: engage a shackle plate,; and; a nut for said bolt; outside of saidblock.

12. The combination, in astabilizer of the class described, with a weight-provided with a laterally offset perforated) lug, of a bolt passing through saidl-ug, a, perforated! clamping block adapted toI'be mounted on said bolt, said lug-and blockbeing adapted to engage a shackle plate, and a nut for. said bolt outside of: said block.

13. The. combination, in a stabilizer of the class described, with a-weighthaving. a per-.

forated and slotted lug,- O'f' abolt passing through said lug, a perforated and slotted clamping block adapted to be mounted on said bolt, the slots: in. saidl'lugand: block beingadapted: to receive a shackle plate therein, and a nut. for said bolt outside of said block.

14. The combination, in. a stabilizer oi the class. described, witha. weight having a lat erally offset perforated and slottedlug, of a bolt passing through said lug, aperforated and slotted clamping block adapted to be BEST AVAILABLE COP f Sold: blOCk.

15. The combination, in. a stabilizer of the class-described, with a weight having a perfora-ted and slotted lug, oi a bolt passingthrough sa-id'lzu-g, a perforated, and slotted clamping block; adapted to be mounted on said bolt, and a nut for said boltoutside of said block, the construction; and arrange.- ment otparts being such that a shackle plate is receivable. in the slots. in said lug and block, butthe combined depthof said slots isless than the width of said plate, wherefore one edge of said block must bear on the contiguous edge of said lug, when said nut is tightened to cause the plate to begrasped rigidly by and between the lug andblock, and a space, extending from such contacting edges, isleit between the lugand block.

16. The combination, in a stabilizer of the class described, with a Weighthaving a laterall'y ofisetperforated and slotted lug, of a bolt passing through said lug, a perforated andslotted clamping bloc-lo adapted to be mounted on said bolt, and a nut for said bolt outside odi said block, the construction and: arrangement, of parts being such. that a shackleplate is receivable in the slots insaid lug-and block, but the combined. depth of said slots is less than the width of said plate, wheretore. one edge 0t said block must bear on the contiguous edge of; said lug, when said nut is tightened: to cause the plate to be. grasped rigidly by and between the lug and block, and a space, extending from.

such contacting edges, is left between the lug andbloc-k.

- BURTON D. GIBBS. 

